DULUTH – A 72-year-old Duluth man was arrested Thursday evening after allegedly threatening to shoot out the windows of Laura MacArthur Elementary School, according to police.
Richard Joseph Neault was charged with threats of violence on Friday and is in the St. Louis County jail. Officers with a search warrant found a shotgun, SKS assault rifle with an attached bayonet and ammunition at his house on the 5500 block of W. Sixth Street, the department said in a news release.
According to court documents, Neault was at neighborhood bar Mr. D’s Bar & Grill and told a woman working there of his plans to shoot out the windows of the school across the street from his house.
“Watch the news,” Neault allegedly told her.
The woman, who was familiar with where Neault lives and his weapons and was worried about his mental health, contacted police.
When officers arrived at his house, Neault was standing in the front yard. He described himself as a 165% disabled veteran and was disappointed that local news stations did not respond when he messaged them about his story.
Neault admitted to police that he had told people that he was going to shoot the windows out of the school.
“I know how to get the news crews here,” he allegedly told a police officer. “I’ll take my SKS, all loaded up, and make sure that nobody is in the school, and I’ll take out about five of them … windows.”
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